What's in a Name
by ObliviousTrace
Summary: Draco gets dumped by Hermione
1. Default Chapter

What's in a Name?

I hate Shakespeare.

            That bastard. What did he know? What's in a name my ass.

            After all, that's all she saw.

            And yet all I could think about was her, her hair, her eyes, her smile…

            Her smile, her smile, her smile.

            I could drown in her smile.

            I love her so much it hurts. It's like she knew just the words to say to tear me into shreds. 

            "I still love you."

            _Yeah, Right._

"It's just that it could never work."

            _If you wanted it to it could. Anything could work. Don't give up, don't tell me that you don't care, don't tell me you're not going to try anymore._

"No one would ever accept it, no one would accept us. Our reputations would be ruined. My family would never like you, and your family already hates me."

            _Always with my family.__ I'm not like them, okay?! Get over it! I'm not like that! _

"My friends wouldn't accept it."

            _You think I give a shit about your friends?_

            "Your friends would accept it."

            _I don't have friends._

"Face it, the names Granger and Malfoy don't work together."

            _I'm not a Malfoy! _

"You're a Malfoy."

            _I think I'm going to be sick._

            She just refused to try, she didn't want to bother.

            So I'm a Malfoy, am I? 

            Malfoys don't fall in love.

            Malfoys don't feel pain.

            Malfoys don't feel.

            And Malfoys never, ever, consort with Mudbloods.

            Never.

            Ever.

            So I'm a Malfoy?

            She just made me one.

            I looked in the mirror before I left. I looked like my father. My eyes were just as cold and dead and full of hate as his. 

            There was no trace of the light she put into them.

            It hurts like hell, but I grit my teeth and bear it. I don't know which is worse, the pain in my arm or in my heart.

It's over. There's a smell of smoking flesh, then the sound of applause and high laughter.

I pull my robes over the ugly mark on my hair, smiling grimly.

If all she can see is my name, that's all I'll let her or anyone else see.

So what's in a name, Shakespeare?

The entire world.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Five Years Later 

            The young woman sitting at the bar yawned. 

            "Long day?" The bartender asked.

            "The worst." She looked around and wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Don't you think you could fix this place up a bit?"

            The bartender shrugged. "As long as people keep coming in here, I could care less how it looks. You waiting for someone?"

            She nodded. "He was supposed to meet me an hour ago. I just hope nothing happened to him…"

            The bartender smiled. "How much trouble could he get into? He probably just ran into a little traffic. Rush hour's gotten worse every year."

            The girl smirked. "Rush hour's the least of my worries."

            A sudden cold breeze rushed by her, and she looked around. A tall young man entered the smoke filled room, sitting on a barstool near hers.

            "Give me a pint." His voice was harsh and commanding. The woman pricked up her ears at the familiar sound, but couldn't place it. She glanced at him, but he was sitting in the shadow, and she couldn't make out any features. 

            "Long day?" The bartender asked him as he gave him his pint. The man chose to ignore the bartender's attempt at conversation and sipped his drink broodingly.

            The woman was curious. Something about him seemed familiar. She surveyed him out of the corner of her eye and drew in her breath sharply as she saw the tip of a wooden stick in his belt.

            _A wizard in a Muggle bar? What's up with that? _She frowned. Anyone from their side would have recognized her. 

            "I'll take another." She said to the bartender, pushing a few coins across the bar. The man beside her froze at the sound of her voice. Then he began to chuckle.

            "Just my luck," he said softly. "Of all the muggle bars in all the muggle towns, I happen to walk into the one Hermione Granger's sitting in."

            She turned her head sharply at her name. "Who are you?"

            He laughed. "I'm surprised you don't remember. After all, we had _so much._" His sarcastic tone sounded so familiar.

            "I don't have the faintest idea who you are, so you wanna just cut the crap and look at me?" She snapped.

            He laughed again. "Tsk, tsk, I would expect even a…_mudblood_ like you to remember me." He turned so that his face was in the light.

            She drew in her breath quickly as she saw the familiar features. His face was just as haughty as ever, his eyes just like steel; cold and impenetrable. "Draco."

            He raised an eyebrow. "Oh, it's _Draco_ now, is it? Last time I saw you I was pretty sure I was _Malfoy_." He set some money on the counter and swept out.

            Hermione's heart was beating furiously.


End file.
